This disclosure relates to a temperature detector for determining the physical profile of temperature rises to a predetermined temperature. It is capable of providing a physical profile of temperature rises spreading through an adjacent heated element.
This invention arose from tests requiring measurement of selected operational parameters within nuclear fuel bundles. It meets projected fuel bundle instrumentation requirements for development of peak temperature profiles along the length of a fuel bundle. This is desirable in the design, testing and use of fuel bundles in order to provide a temperature profile at temperatures approaching that at which fuel rod meltdown would occur. There is no direct contact method to measure temperatures this high.
The present device allows the profiling of any one temperature excursion within the monitored system, such as a reactor core, and further provides a growth profile. It requires that only three leads and a metal shield be brought from the core itself for monitoring purposes during measurement usage.